Imagine that your phone rings. You don’t know who calls. Instead of winning, you are looking for the number online, send an SMS or simply ignore the call. This scenario is no exception, but the reality for a large part of young people. According to a study conducted by Uswitcha quarter of 18-34 years old never answers the phone and almost 70 percent of this group prefers to send a message rather than calling. What is behind this change in communication; And what are the consequences?
The habit of writing rather than calling a root in the technological and economic reality of the adolescence of millennials and generation Z. At a time when each SMS was paying and a call could cost all pocket money, young people learned to save and optimize their communication. The written messages have become the standard, the calls the exception.
Vocal Notes
This trend was not hampered by the arrival of smartphones and unlimited packages. On the contrary; Writing messages, sharing memes, using vocal notes or interacting via social networks like Instagram and Snapchat still simplify communication and adapt it to individual needs. In the calm of asynchronous platforms, everyone is expressed at their own pace, more thoughtful and without the pressure of an immediate response.
Voice messages represent a compromise between the appeal and the writing. For part of the young generation, they are more pleasant than a call, because they transmit intonation and emotions without requiring real -time attention. While almost 40 percent of young people consider vocal messages as their favorite communication mode, this figure falls to only 1 percent among 35-54 year olds.
The call leads to inconvenience
Psychologists point out that telephone calls often cause unpleasant feelings among young people. Ranging from uncertainty to anxiety, even fear of bad news. An appeal requires an immediate reaction, the ability to improvise and share your personal space. It is therefore not surprising that, for many under 35, a sudden call is perceived as uncomfortable, even intrusive.
Conversely, writing a message or having a voice note allows greater control. The sender has time to formulate his thoughts, the recipient can choose the time of his answer. At a time when our diaries are overloaded and where multitasking has become the norm, this form of communication is simply more practical, and often more respectful.
Impact on professional communication
The habit of avoiding calls is also transposed in the world of work, where it can be a problem. Many young employees prefer email, cat or internal phone calls. They consider calls as an interruption of their concentration, a waste of time or a source of stress.
Some companies adapt to this trend, others complain about it. Older managers often come up against “silent phones” and the frustration of the unavailability of their colleagues. However, it appears that respect for the preferences of the youngest and the adaptation of the communication style can improve relationships and efficiency within the teams.
But each problem has its setback: with the perspective of informal calls and personal contacts, the feeling of belonging can also fade. Verbal communication plays a key role in building confidence and proximity, whether at work or in privacy.
Natural adaptation
The tendency to avoid calls is often criticized, perceived as proof of hypersensitivity or incapacity of the young generation to manage current situations. In reality, it is rather a natural adaptation to the new communication tools, to the pace of work and the state of mind of our time.
In the same way that we formerly abandoned fax to go to email, we today abandon fixed calls to adopt asynchronous and less intrusive forms of communication. This does not mean the end of human relations, but their transformation. Staying “reachable” will no longer depend on the frequency to which we pick up, but on sincerity – and the form – with which we remain connected.
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